Weighing in at around 12 pounds and over 3000 total pages, "The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing, Volumes IV and V" (NYU Press) are dedicated to "Irish Women's Writing and Traditions" (to use the collection's subtitle).

Those proper titles, however, do not convey the years-long literary battle which led to these books' publication.

Back in the early 1990s, esteemed Irish scholar Seamus Deane was tapped to oversee the first three volumes of the "Field Day Irish Anthology." But when that project was completed, many protested that women were inadequately represented in what was supposed to be an authoritative look at Irish literature. Critic Edna Longley called it The Boy's Club ethos of "Field Day," while poet Eavan Boland said she was sorry to be included.

So, as the Preface to the new women's books puts it, Deane invited some women scholars who had found fault with the anthology to meet him to discuss the possibility of producing a supplementary volume.

The result is two volumes which span nearly 15 centuries of Irish women and their cultural experiences. Covering literature, journalism, history, and criticism, as well as legal, medical, theological, and scientific writings, the works often appear in both English and Irish. Other sections explore oral traditions, sexuality, religion and theology, and contemporary writing.

Given their price and size, these books may not be meant for the average reader. But keep an eye out for them when you visit a library. ($250 / 3250 pages / NYU Press).